Bound buttonhole layout guide



Oct. 22, 1957 D. M. BECK BOUND BUTTONl-IOLE LAYOUT GUIDE Filed Jan. 23,1957 ook/5 M. 55C K,

HER HTTORNEY Unite The present invention relates generally to the art oftailoring, and is primarily directed to the provision of a novel deviceadapted to facilitate the layout of buttonholes. v

In the art of tailoring, it is common knowledge that considerabledifficulty is usually encountered by a seamstress attempting to properlyspace and locate the markings for button holes, particularly when theultimate or finished buttonholes are to be vof the bound type.

There are definite rules that have been established and are recognizedas important with respect to the proper disposition and size of boundbuttonholes. Thus it is particularly desirable that an ultimate boundbuttonhole be accurately formed for easy passage therethrough Yof itsassociated button, without however being too large, as is understood. Itis further well established and desirable that bound buttonholes beformed normal to the finished edge of a garment. Consequently, theproblem of accurately marking the precise area wherein the ultimatebuttonhole is to be constructed is one well recognized in the tailoringart as presenting considerable difficulty.

Ordinarily, the spacing of the buttonholes relatively to one another isindicated on the pattern, but the proper spacing of them relatively tothe edge of the material, has heretofore presented quitea problem,inasmuch as that spacing will depend on vthe size of the buttonsselected.

In other words, it is also well established in the tailoring art, thatthe distances between the edge of the material and the lirst theretoadjacent corners of the bound ybuttonholes should be at leastapproximately equal to the diameters of the buttons contemplated for aparticular garment.

Consequently, the task of laying out the requisite markings Itoconstruct for example, four buttonholes that are not only accuratelyaligned, but also properly spaced from the edge ofthe material inaccordance with the accepted rules as determined by the diameter of thebuttons selected, has heretofore been Va tedious and difficult one, asshould be apparent.

The primary object `of my invention therefore, is to provide a novelthough simple device wherewith to overcome these problems. To this endthe invention provides a rectangular plate having a series of spacedelongated openings formed therein. Each opening is rectangular, but thelengths of them increase progressively from the smallest to the largest.When the device is properly positioned on a piece of material, each ofsaid openings is designed to present a pencil guide for marking ron thematerial an accurate layout for the correct buttonhole constructionrequisite for a particular button, as will be explained.

The plate has a guide edge facilitating its placement in properposition, and each of said series of slots, beginning with the smallestand ending with the largest, is located progressively farther removedfrom said guide edge, ,so that when the device is properly positioned ona piece tes Patent 'l of material, the elongated openings alsoautomatically serve to provide the proper transverse spacing of thebuttonhole layout, as will likewise be explained in more detail.

The invention is illustrated on a sheet of drawings that accompaniesthis specification, and a more comprehensive understanding of itsfeatures and advantages may be had from the detailed description tofollow with reference to said drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a bound buttonhole layout guideincorporating the principles of the present invention;

KFigure 2 is an edge view thereof;

`Figure 3 is sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4, 5, and 6 are diagrammatical views on a reduced scale,demonstrating an exemplary manner wherein the invention would beemployed in the accurate layout of bound buttonholes.

The layout guide of my invention is generally designated 10 andcomprises a rectangular plate 12, preferably but not necessarily havingrounded corners as shown. The plate 12 may be of metallic material,preferably aluminum, or it may be formed of plastic material if desired.

L Numeral 14 designates what Yis termed the guide edge of the plate 12,and formed in said plate is a series of elongated rectangular openingseach spaced a determined distance from said guide edge. As clearlyillustrated, the lengths of these openings vary, each successiveopening, beginning at the upper portion of therplate'and progressingdownwardly, being longer than the one thereabove. Further, it willl alsobe observed that, each successive opening is farther removed from theguide edge. 14 than the one thereabove, and that all of the openings areformed in a plane normal to said edge.

The first or smallest of these openings is designated 16. The size ofopening 16 is such as to facilitate the construction of accurate layoutlines for producing a bound buttonhole proper for a standard line #24and #28 button, and markings are visibly exhibited on plate 12 adjacentsaid opening to so indicate, as shown. Transversely of the plate 12, theopening 1.6 is dened by edges 18 and 19, and the distance between theseedges corresponds with that between said edge 18 and the guide edge 14.1

The next of these openings is designated 20. The opening 20 isdimensioned so as to facilitate the construction of accurate layoutlines for producing a bound buttonhole proper for a standard line #30and. #34 button, and markings are visibly exhibited on plate 12 adjacentopening 20 to so indicate. Transversely of said plate, this opening isdelined by edges 21 and 22, and the distance between these edgescorresponds with that between said edge 21 and the guide edge 14.

The succeeding opening is designated 23, and is dimensioned tofacilitate the construction of accurate layout lines for producing abound buttonhole proper for a standard line #36 and #40 button, as themarkings on plate 12 adjacent opening 23 indi-cate. Transversely of saidplate, the opening 23 is defined by edges 25 and 26. The distancebetween these edges corresponds with that between the edge 25 and theguide edge 14 of the plate.

Numeral 27 designates the next opening of the series. The size of thisopening is adapted to facilitate the construction of accurate layoutlines for producing a proper bound buttonhole for a standard line #45button. Similarly to the pattern that should now be apparent, thedistance between the edges 29 and 31 of this opening is equal to thedistance between said edge 29 and the guide edge 14.

3 i The final elongated rectangular opening of the series is designated32.` This opening is of a size determined to facilitate the constructionof accurate layout lines for a` bound buttonhole to accommodate thelargest button conventionally in present day use, that is, a line#60button. The distance between the edges 33 and 35 of the opening 32corresponds with that between said edge 33 and the guide edge 14 ofplate 12.

From the foregoing description augmented by the drawings, it should bemanifest that the present layout guide contemplates the whole rangey ofbutton diameters normally employed in the tailoring art.

Use

The manner wherein the inventionmay be employed will be brieflyexplained with attention directed to the diagrammatical views of Figures4 through 6. It will be assumed for example, that the material M thereexhibited represents a fragmentary portion of a ladys coat or similargarment wherein bound buttonholes are to be constructed. The raw edge ofthe material is identified at RE, this edge having been cut inaccordance with `a pattern that had been superimposed on the material asis customary. lt will further be assumed that what is called thewrong.side of the material Mis uppermost, and that the pattern calls fora stitch line and specifies buttonholes to accommodate line #36 buttons.The stitch line markings, shown in long dash lines, may be appliedbefore the pattern is removed, as is understood.

With the pattern now removed, the device would first be disposed on thematerial M with its guide edge 14 in alignment with the edge RE,whereupon a series of pencil marks as suggested at A would be applied tothe material immediately inside the edges and 26 of the elongatedopening 23.

It is of course apparent that only one pair of pencil markings A wouldbe applied at a time. In other words, after a first pair of marks hadbeen applied, the device 10 would be shifted, and with the guide edge 14thereof again disposed in alignment with the edge RE, a second pair ofmarkings `A `would be applied, and so on as should be understood.

Thereupon, with the device 10 removed, a strip of organdy O, or similarmaterial, would be basted to the` material as suggested by the bastestitches B, it being observed that the width of the selected strip Oshould necessarily overlap and extend beyond the pencilapplied guidemarks A.

With the buttonhole reinforcing strip O basted in appropriate `positionas in Figure 4, the garment pattern would again be superimposed on thematerial M, whereupon suitable markings C would be `applied to the stripO at points in accordance with the buttonhole spacing prescribed andindicated on the pattern as is understood. The markings C areillustrated in the drawings in the form of lines, but it is noted thatthey could be otherwise indicated, inasmuchv as they serve primarily ina guide capacity for the proper disposition of the plate 12 in the-achievement of the principal objectives of my invention.

With attention now focused particularly on Figure 5,`

the guide edge 14 `of the plate 12 would now be precisely aligned withthe material edge RE in `such manner that one of the markings C,irrespective of its form,

would present itself centrally within the opening 23.`

Thereupon, with a sharply pointed pencil bearing against the edgesdefining `the opening 23, a rectangular outline would be drawn on thestrip O. The plate would be positioned in like manner with respect toeach of the markings C, and the procedure of drawing a rectangularoutline thereabout would be repeated.

In consequence of these simple operations, a rectangular pencil outline37 about each marking C will have been visibly depicted on theinterfacing or reinforcing strip O, as demonstrated in Figure 6.Thereupon, a line 4 of stitching indicated at 38 would bemachine-stitched about each of the penciled outlines 37 as illustrated.

It is of course understood that a series of additional operations wouldbe requisite in order to complete the construction of the buttonholes,but inasmuch as these operations would be accomplished without theemployment of the present invention, they need not be described. Andalthough the use of this invention has been exemplarily described onlywith respect to buttonholes for line #36 and #40 buttons, it is believedmanifest that the procedure to be followed would be similar for a line#24 button, aline #30 button, and so on.

In view of the drawings and foregoing description, it should be apparentthat my invention provides a simple and inexpensive device wherewith toquickly and accurately perform hitherto tedious and difficultoperations. The device has great value in expediting buttonholemakingoperations on the part of a skilled seamstress, as well as on the partof a student engaged in learning beginning and advanced tailoring.

What I claim is:

1. A device for constructing bound buttonhole layouts comprising: arectangular plate adapted to be positioned on a piece of garmentmaterial; a guide edge on lthe plate for positioning the device withrespect to the raw edge of the material; a series of elongated openingsformed in the plate to serve as guides for applying pencil markings,each opening being of rectangular contour but of different length andlocated more remotely from said guide edge than the opening thereabove;and visible markings on the plate adjacent each opening indicative ofthe particular button size or sizes for which that opening is to beemployed in the layout operation, said guide edge when disposed inprecise alignment with the raw edge of a piece of garment materialautomatically resulting in the proper disposition of the plate on saidgarment for the purpose described.

2. A device as set forth in claim l, wherein the length of each openingis determined so as to provide for the proper layout lines consonantwith accepted tailoring practise relatively to a bound button hole for aparticular diametered button.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of each of saidseries of elongated openings corresponds with the distance obtainingbetween said guide edge of the plate and the closest adjacent edge ofthe edges that define each particular opening.

4. Means for use in first applying to a piece of garment materialmarkings serving to guide the basting of a strip of interfacing to thematerial, and for thereafter facilitating the delineation of layouts onsaid strip for guidance in the construction of bound buttonholes spacedand dimensioned in accordance with accepted practise in the tailoringart, said means comprising: a rigid rectangular plate; a guide edgethereon for positioning the plate onrthe garment material with said edgein alignment with the raw edge of said material; a first elongatedrectangular opening in the plate, said opening having determineddimensions and being spaced a determined distance from the guide edgeaforesaid whereby to serve as a guide in delineating layouts forproduction in the garment material of bound buttonholes for line #24 and#28 buttons; a second elongated rectangular opening in the plate, saidsecond opening having determined dimensions and being spaced adetermined distance from the guide edge aforesaid whereby to serve as aguide in delineating layouts for the production in the garment materialof bound buttonholes for line #30 and #34 buttons; a third elongatedrectangular opening in the plate, said third opening having determineddimensions and being spaced a determined distance from the guide edgeaforesaid whereby to serve as a guide in delineating layouts for theproduction in the garment material of bound buttonholes for line #36 and#40 buttons; a fourth elongated rectangular opening in the plate, saidfourth opening having determined dimensions and being spaced adetermined distance from the guide edge aforesaid whereby to serve -as aguide in delineating layouts for the production in the garment materialof bound buttonholes for line #45 buttons; Ia fth elongated rectangularopening in the plate, said yfifth opening having determined dimensionsand being spaced a determined vdistance from the guide edge aforesaidwhereby to serve as ya guide in delineating layouts for the productionin the garment material of rbound buttonholes for line #60 buttons; andmarkings References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,860,174 Cronk May 24, 1932 2,601,621 Max'ant June 24, 1952Berardinelli Apr. 17, 1956

